Lubricating device



Dec. 19, 1961 E. c. GITS 3,013,847

LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 18, 1960 [EVEN/UP Edward C is UnitedStates Patent Ofiice 3,013,847 Patented Dec. 19, 1961 3,013,847LUBRICATIN G DEVICE Edward C. Gits, La Grange, Ill., assignor to GitsBros. Mfg. Co., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 18,19 60, Ser. No. 9,593 3 Claims. (Cl. 308-125) This invention relates toa lubricating device, and more particularly to a device having an oilsaturated wick for lubricating a bearing.

Heretofore, a variety of methods of lubricating hearing surfaces havebeen attempted including the feeding of a supply of oil to the surfacesby conduit means, and the like. Consequently, these methods have eitherrequired frequent attention or have been undesirably expensive andcomplicated.

, The present invention provides for lubricating bearing surfaces bywick means in a bearing element feeding oil to the surfaces byabsorption or capillary action. The oil is desirably supplied to thewick means from a pocket in the bearing means which is closed by a capand retainer structure which may be press fitted or screwed intoposition, and thoughthe lubrication thus afforded will be permanent, thewick can be resaturated at inter- 'vals by replenishing the oil ifdesired. Preferably, the

cap and retainer structure also serves to secure the wick means inposition. In one form of the invention, the bearing element may be ofporous metal to distribute the oil to the bearing surfaces, while inanother form of the invention the wick may extend to the bearingsurfaces themselves.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide alubricating device which is effective to permanently lubricate bearingsurfaces without the need for lubricating conduits or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lubricating wick ofabsorbent characteristic which can be disposed adjacent to or in contactwith a bearing in substantially any plane or relationship to afford adesired lubricating action.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds in accordance with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a lubricating device accordingto the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of another em bodiment of theinvention.

As shown on the drawings Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, alubricating device 10 is shown which includes a wick 12 of felt or othersuitably absorbent material, secured in a pillow block or housing 14 bymeans of a cap 16 which engages the wick and removably seals on anopening 18 in which the wick is received, as hereinafter furtherdescribed. The housing 14 retains a bearing member 20 in which isjournalled a shaft 22, and the wick extends radially through the bearingmember into lubricating contact with the shaft 22.

The cap 16 may be press fitted into the housing 14, ,or threadedlysecured therein, as desired, and in the form shown, has a relativelywide, flanged portion 24 seating against the outer surface of thehousing, and a reduced portion 26 releasably engaged within an outerrecess-28 of the opening or cavity 18. The cap is preferably formed of asuitable oil-resistant plastic material, and may have at least thereduced portion 26 thereof constructed of anzi.

elastomer snugly receiving the upper end of the wick 12.

An oil reservoir 30 is afforded by the reduced, inner The bore 36 in thebearing 20 is aligned in radial registration with the bore 34, as shown,and both of these bores are preferably dimensioned to snugly receive thewick 12. However, because of the engagement of the wick in the cap 16,the cap and the wick may be inserted and removed as a single unit. Thecap effectively seals the oil in the reservoir 30, and it will beappreciated that the oil may be placed in the reservoir after the wickhas been partially inserted, or otherwise, and may be replenished ifdesired.

However, there will generally be no necessity for replenishing the oil,and the wick may be maintained in assembled relation with the bearingindefinitely to provide a subs antially life-long lubricating means forthe bearing. An oil-saturated wick may also be used as described withoutan oil reservoir, and may be removed at periodic intervals forresaturation.

Where the oil reservoir 30 is utilized, oil will be fed along the wickto the bearing surfaces from the areas of the wick in contact with thereservoir, and will thus be automatically metered in accordance withlubricating requirements.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, a second embodiment of the invention is shownwherein similar parts are designated by similar reference numerals, andwherein the operation and construction of the device is substantially asdescribed with respect to the embodiment of FIGURE 1. However, thebearing 20a is formed of a porous metal, and receives oil from the wick12a and the reservoir Stla to distribute it along the surfaces of theshafts 22a in contact with the bearing. The bearing absorbs the oil fromthe wick so that it becomes suitably impregnated therewith, although itmay also be saturated initially if desired. The extent of penetration ofthe wick into the bearing may be varied by varying the dimension of theclosed bore 36a as desired, but in any case will be sufficient to effectthe transfer of the oil to the bearing and the shaft.

There has thus been provided an oil-wick'lubricating means for bearingswhich is simple and economical in construction and affords asubstantially life-long lubricating action. The wick of the inventionmay extend through bo h the housing and bearing, as in the embodiment ofFIGURE 1, so that oil is distributed axially therefrom along a shaft orother surface, or may extend through the housing and into a porousbearing without contacting the bearing surfaces directly, as in theembodiment of FIGURE 2, so that distribution of oil is made to thebearing and thence to the bearing surfaces. In either case, oil issupplied only as required and to the extent required, by virtue of theabsorbent action of the wick, so that any need for complex conduit andmetering arrangements is obviated and the device may be utilized in awide variety of applications.

Although I have herein set forth and described my invention with respectto certain principles and details thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that these can be varied without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereuntoappended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. A lubricating structure comprising ahousing, a porous metal bearing in said housing having a bore there-;through for receiving a shaft and a radially aligned bore extendingthereinto in spaced relation to said bore for relying said shaft, anopening extending through said 11 using and having a reduced portion inregister with said radial bore in said bearing, a relatively wide oilreservoir portion and an outer cap receiving portion, a cap releaseablyseated in said cap receiving portion, a supply of oil ,insaid oilreservoir portion and aradially extending wick having one end grippinglysecured ;in}said cap, said wick extending through said supply of oil,through said rea duced portion of said opening in said housing and intosnug engagement with said radial bore in said bearing whereby todistribute oil from said supply of oil into and through said bearing toefiect an even distribution to the bearing surface forming said bore insaid bearing for receiving said shaft.

2. A lubricating structure comprising a housing, a bearing in saidhousing of generally cylindrical configuration, said bearing defining abore for receiving a shaft therethrough concentrically therein, and aradial bore therein, said housing having an opening including a radialportion registering with said radial bore in said bearing, a relativelylarge oil reservoir portion and an outer cap receiving portion, a capremovably seating in said cap receiving portion of said opening in saidhousing, a supply of oil in said reservoir portion of said opening insaid housing and a Wick having an end grippingly secured in said cap andpassing through said supply of oil, through said radial portion of saidopening in said housing in register with the radial bore in said bearingand into said radial bore in said bearing to transmit a uniform supplyof oil from said oil supply in said reservoir portion of said opening insaid housing to a shaft which may be received in said concentric bore insaid bearing.

3. A lubricating structure comprising a housing, a bearing in saidhousing of generally cylindrical configuration, said bearing defining abore for receiving a shaft therethrough concentrically therein, and aradial bore therethrough opening into said concentric bore, said housinghaving an opening including a radial portion registering with saidradial bore in said bearing, a relatively large oil reservoir portionand an outer cap receiving portion, a cap removably seating in said capreceiving portion of said opening in said housing, a supply of oil insaid reservoir portion of said opening in said housing and a Wick havingan end grippingly secured in said cap and passing through said supply ofoil, through said radial portion of said opening in said housing inregister with the radial bore in said bearing and through said radialbore in said, bearing into substantially flush relationship with the'concentric bore in said bearing thereby to transmit a uniform supply ofoil from said oil supply in said reservoir portion of said opening insaid housing to a shaft which may be received in said concentric bore insaid bearing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,715,840 Janette June 4, 1929 2,516,021 Sarnzelius July 10, 19502,831,736 Runknagel Apr. 22, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 176,108 SwitzerlandJune 1, 1935 429,981 Italy Feb. 6, 1948

